Wire-stretcher



(No Moam" E'. BUNCH.

WIRE STRBTGHBR. No. 355,135'. Patented D ec. 28, 1886.

.dttorney J UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

, ELIJAH BUNCH, oF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,135, dated December 28, 1886.

" Application led Uetober (i, 1886. Serial No. 215.475. (No model.)

.To all whom, t may concern:

. Be it known that I, ELIJAH BUNCH, a citizen of the VUnited States, and a resident of Richmond, county of lllayne, State of Indiana, haveinvented new and useful Improvements i-n Wire-Stretchers, of which the following is a full and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specication. l Y

This invention relates to 'improvements in wire-stretchers; and it consists inthe construction and arrangement of the parts whereby the strands of the Wire composing the fence are tightened with ease to a high degree and held irmly while retaining-staples are being driven.` y y The objections to the known devices for accomplishing these ends are that they are cumbersome, slow, and expensive of construction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a section of fence having my stretching device attached. Fig. 2 is a detail view of mystretcher-attachment. Fig. 3 is a crosssection of the same.

The letter A designates a lever fulcrumed at B to a plate, C. At the fulcrum end the lever has a semicircular enlargement, D, depending from the handle A. The center of the enlargement is removed from the fulcrum toward the handle end of the lever. Around the lower edge of the enlargement is a flange, D'. Above the enlargement D the lever is provided with the ratchet-teeth F. Pivotally attached to the plate C, above the ratchet F, and within reach thereof, is a gravity-pawl, E. The plate C is provided with the outwardly-extending flange G at a point just beneath the enlargement D. Itis curved to conform to the shape of the enlargementD, v

and extends outward to the ange D. The plate C is provided with perforations whereby it can be attached to any piece of wood by means of screws or any suitable means.

The stretchers are placed upon a piece of wood suitable for that purpose and so disposed that one of them is on a line with each of the strands of wire when .the piece of wood is placed beside the post of the fence. Vhen this is done a stake is driven into the ground at a short distance from the piece of wood provided with the stretchers and away from the section of fence under construction. The

Yby any suitable means.

piece of wood is then-attached to the stake The wire passing between the posts of the section being `constructed is caught and pulled out as straight as possible by hand.` .Then holding the strand tightly it is passed yunder the enlargement D of the stretcher and over the ange G, resting upon the ends of the said flange. It is then bent down upon the end of the flange G nearest the operator and held firmly, the bending of the wire over theedge of the flange giving the operator more firmness of grip upon it. The operator now catches the handle of the lever A with his unoccupied hand and brings it down. In doing sol the curved surface of the enlargement D bears against-the wire and forces it down against the outwardly-extend ing tlange G. The wire is held from escaping during this downward motion by the ange D. As the lever A falls the pawl E follows and engages the teeth F, preventing any backward motion in case of a slip of the hand of the operator, and holding the lever rmly in place when bearing the wire against the ange G. In forcing the wire down,while .the free end is held from giving way,the slack in the wire is all taken up 'between the post and stretched. The wire is fastened securely to the last post of the section before releasing the wire from the stretcher. This operation is performed upon each strand by the stretcher opposite it. The piece of wood bearing the stretchers is then moved on to the next post, and the operation'above described repeated.

Whatl claim is- 1. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of a lever provided with an enlargement upon the side in the line of movement, and ratchet-teeth upon the other, and fulcrumed at a point removed from the center of said enlargement, a stationary flange placed so as to form a clutch in conjunction with the enlargement upon said lever, and the ends of said flange forming resisting-points about the level of the fulcrum of the said lever, and a pawl pivoted above said lever and adapted to engage said ratchetteeth, substantially as set forth.

2. Ina Wirestretcher, the combination of a lever provided with an enlargement upon the side in line of movement, and ratchet-teeth upon theother, and fulcrumed to a plate at a point removed from the center of said 'enlarge- IOO ment, a pawl pivoted to said plate above said In testimony whereof I have hereunto set lever, and adapted to engage said ratohetmy hand this 4th day of October, A. D. 1886. teeth, and said plate provided with a station ary ange placed so as to form aclutch in oon- ELIJAH BUNCH.

5 junction with the enlargement upon the said lever, and the ends of said flange forming re- Vitnesses:

sisting points about the level of the fulerum JAMES W. HENDERSON,

of the said lever, substantially as set forth. WM. P. J AY. 

